If you are receiving scholarships, grants, and/or loans at UAH and choose to enter a Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op) or Internship, your work program must be approved by The Office of Career Services in order for you to receive special consideration of your financial aid.

If your program is approved by The Office of Career Services they will instruct you to enroll in a CRN that identifies you as being in an official Co-Op or Internship program. The Office of Financial Aid will adjust your financial aid based on your Co-Op or Internship CRN enrollment. As long as you are in the appropriate CRN you do not need to contact The Office of Financial Aid to notify us of your program. Failure to enroll in the appropriate CRN could result in the loss of your scholarship and/or the loss of your student loan deferment.

Alternating Schedule

Alternating Co-Op/Internship refers to a program where a student rotates a semester of working full time and a semester of studying full time.

Example

A student is participating in an Alternating Co-Op/Internship and has a merit tuition scholarship valued at $10,000 for the academic year.

Fall: Study Term - Student takes classes full time and does not work. Scholarship pays $5,000

Spring: Work Term - Student works full time and does not take classes. Scholarship does not pay

Summer: Study Term – Student takes classes full time and does not work. Scholarship pays $5,000

Scholarships will disburse during study terms in which the student is enrolled in classes full-time. Scholarships will not disburse for work terms. Scholarships are limited to two terms per academic year. Scholarships are only allowed for 1 summer term per Co-Op/Internship student. Please keep this in mind if you plan to participate in a Co-Op/Internship for more than one academic year.

Pell Grants may disburse during any term in which a student is enrolled in credit hours. The grant will be pro-rated, based on eligibility, if enrollment is less than 12 credit hours. Pell Grants will not disburse during work-only terms.

Federally funded loans will disburse during any study term in which a student is enrolled at least half time. Loans will not disburse during a work-only term. Students will be eligible to remain in a deferment status for federal loans based on Co-Op/Internship CRN enrollment.

Scholarship Renewal Process

Renewal is contingent upon meeting the following requirements:

If one scholarship disbursement was received during the academic year

Students must meet the GPA requirements outlined in their scholarship description;

Earn a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester in which a scholarship disbursement was received;

Earn a minimum of 12 cumulative credit hours between fall, spring and summer of the same academic year

If two scholarship disbursements were received during the academic year:

Students must meet the GPA requirements outlined in their scholarship description;

Earn a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester in which a scholarship disbursement was received;

Earn a minimum of 24 cumulative credit hours between fall, spring and summer of the same academic year

Parallel Schedule

Parallel Co-Op/Internships refer to a program where a student works part time and studies part time year round. Under this program students must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours for the fall and spring terms and 6 credit hours in the summer term. The yearly dollar value of your scholarship will not change. Instead, the dollar value of your scholarship will be prorated as follows:

75% of full time award payment for fall

75% of full-time award payment for spring

50% of full time award payment in the summer

Example

A student is participating in a Parallel Co-Op/Internship and has a Merit Tuition Scholarship valued at $10,000 for the academic year.